Dinner Date
by obi's girl
Summary: So, this is sort of a spin-off idea of my story, "Lessons" where Killian and Emma's daughter, Clare is the savior and her son, Michael, has tasked her with trying to get her parents back together. Except Emma is 18 and Killian is a priest in his mid-twenties.


_This is a very bad idea_, Clare quickly realizes as she finds Father Jones' office. He's busy writing something and doesn't notice her right away which gives Clare an opportunity to turn around and leave.

But she has to do this, for Michael because it's the first step of Operation Cobra and she doesn't want to disappoint him. She clears her throat and he looks up at her with confused blue eyes, like hers, she realizes and Clare quickly puts that idea that this man is her father out of her head.

He's a priest after all and highly doubtful that he has any kind of relation to her.

"Clare," he starts, standing up, "Miss Logan?"

Clare steps inside the office sheepishly and smiles. "Sorry for bothering you Father," she starts and sighs, "but I need to ask you something very important,"

"Okay," he says, looking curiously at her. "What is it?"

"Are you available for dinner tonight?" she wonders and he stares blankly at her, shifting uncomfortably, "Hear me out now: this isn't for me. I'm doing this for Michael, it's a part of Operation Cobra,"

Father Jones relaxes some, but Clare can tell he's still on nervous. "What time should I come over and where will this dinner take place?" he wonders.

"8 o'clock at Emilia Swan's flat," she says and he's tense again. "She's my new roommate and I'm cooking, shepherd's pie actually with a secret ingredient,"

"Secret ingredient, huh?" he muses, "would this secret ingredient be alcohol?"

Clare grins. "Maybe," she says skeptically, "but I promise, it's good,"

"All right," he concedes, "I'll be there around 8. Is that it?"

"Yes," she promises, though she knows that isn't entirely the truth. But it is for now.

Father Jones studies her and Clare backs away, quietly leaving.

Clare is convinced dinner is still a bad idea but right now, she's focused on making shepherd's pie with the secret ingredient. Dinner isn't for another half hour and Emilia's taking a shower but in the middle of waiting for the pie to finish, Clare rummages through her roommates closet looking for a red or black dress, but red is probably better for her.

She finds a tight, short red dress and lays it on the bed and heads to her dresser, looking through her make-up. After some tries, she finds the right color and sets it aside and hollers to her roommate that she found something for her to wear tonight. Emilia calls back 'okay' and Clare returns to her cooking. The crust's almost the brown it should be and Clare sets about, setting the table, (mostly for three) but she plans to make herself as scarce as soon as possible tonight, giving Father Jones and her roommate time alone.

She finds candles and sets them in the middle, lights them and sets a lone vase beside it with a red rose. By the time she's finished, the shepherd's pie ready and she turns off the oven, taking it out and lets it cool before going to her room and dressing herself.

Emilia emerges from her room, halfway dressed and looks at the dinner table and calls for her. Clare rushes out and looks at her.

"I thought this was just dinner," she says, "Why does it look like someone's ready to get laid?"

Clare looks at her uncomfortably. "Tonight is not about that, trust me. I just wanted things to look nice. It's not often we have a priest over for dinner. It's important to make an impression," she reasons.

"I saw the red dress on my bed, Clare," she says. "Do you really expect me to wear _that_ tonight?"

"Yes," she says and quickly ducks into her room.

When Clare emerges from her room, five minutes before eight, she's surprised to see Father Jones greeting Emilia and Clare breathes slowly, walking over to the pair, wearing a black mini dress. As soon as Emilia sees her, Clare feels like hiding but she reminds herself, she doesn't plan on staying long. Tonight is about them and needs to find an excuse to leave them alone.

"Good evening Father," she says and notes that he's missing his white collar and then she realizes, that he isn't wearing his usual priest attire at all. "This is weird, you're dressed normal,"

He looks down at his blue shirt and pants and then back to her. "I figured, if there's left over of that secret ingredient you mentioned earlier, I mine as well dress casual. Sometimes dressing in black all the time can get uncomfortable, not to mention constraining,"

Clare glances at Emilia and then to their guest. "Actually, I have to run out and get some wine," she adds.

"No, you don't," he reasons, revealing a bottle of red wine. "Priests know about good wine,"

There goes her first excuse to leave them alone. Clare excuses herself and goes over to the kitchen, spooning the shepherd's pie into a bowl and putting on the table which Father Jones notices is dressed very intimately, even for a friendly dinner. But Emilia's tight red dress isn't exactly appropriate either.

"Dinner's ready!" Clare announces and they come over to the table, sitting opposite each other. Clare takes the seat in the middle. She gestures that they have the first taste and Father Jones, spoons some pie onto his plate, taking the first bite.

"Hmm," he muses, "Irish whiskey, is it?"

Emilia looks curiously at her roommate.

"Whiskey – yes, Irish – no," Clare manages, "I couldn't find any in town, so regular,"

Emilia helps herself, not really say anything.

Ten or fifteen minutes later, Clare is very nervous. Everyone's full but no one is talking; her roommate Emilia is usually more talkative but tonight, quiet as a mouse and she needs to do something to break the tension.

"So um, Father Jones," Clare starts, "How did you enjoy the Shepherd's Pie?"

"It was very good actually," he admits, "Though I never thought to add whiskey to it before,"

"It was good," Emilia adds and looks curiously at her friend. "Clare, would you mind helping me with the dishes?"

Now, Clare knows that she's in trouble because Emilia hates dishes, preferring to just put them inside the washer and leave them be.

"Sure," she says and goes over with her to the kitchen.

"What is going on?!" she demands quietly, "You've been acting very strange this whole evening; you picked out my clothes and the table – I know you said that this wasn't about _that_ but now, I'm wondering if it is,"

Clare glances back at Father Jones and then to her. "It's a friendly dinner," she says and she can see that Emilia doesn't buy that excuse. The funny thing is, Clare's seconds away from giving away the plan when Father Jones comes over to them and Clare nearly jumps.

"Excuse me ladies," he says, "I think I should be going,"

"No!" Clare says quickly and Emilia glares at her. "Because, there's still dessert and there's a surprise in that too,"

Emilia looks skeptically at her before going back to the table and sitting down.

"All right," he gives in, "I guess I could stay for dessert,"

"So, what's in here?" Father Jones asks, as Clare lays out three bowls of vanilla ice cream, topped with chocolate fudge.

"That is the surprise," she says and offers them both spoons.

Emilia takes the first taste and looks wearily at her. "Rum, really?"

She shrugs. "I'm a bartender, alcohol goes with everything," she offers.

Father Jones sighs and eats a spoonful, the rum mixing with the whiskey from dinner. He can hold his liquor but the combination of rum and whiskey, as good as the ice cream is, it's dizzying.

"Clare," he starts, "Why did you invite me here tonight?"

"Yes, why did you?" Emilia adds.

Now Clare knows that she cannot hold back; she's compelled to them the truth. Why? She's not sure but ever since she arrived in Storybooke, her ability to lie, especially in front one of them has disappeared. It's been very annoying up until this point.

"It's for Operation Cobra," she says, looking at Father Jones.

"I know that but why?" he asks.

"It's because of Michael's book of fairytales; he thinks everyone in this town are fairytale characters," Clare starts, "and the two of you, are the key to breaking the witch's curse,"

Emilia looks at him and then to her. "Who are we supposed to be in his book?" she wonders.

"You're Snow White's daughter," she explains and looks at Father Jones, "and you're – well her husband,"

"Snow White's husband?" he questions.

"No, not Snow White's husband," she says and nods to Emilia. "I know, very ridiculous but Operation Cobra means a lot to him and he's convinced that I'm some sort of savior, meant to break the witch's curse,"

Father Jones looks at Emilia, piecing together why the red dress and the intimate dinner, and the dire need for Clare to make herself scarce earlier. "You're trying to pair us together," he realizes and Emilia looks shockingly at her.

"I know, extremely unlikely and very pretentious," she admits, "but he really thinks that by pairing you together that you'll remember your fairytale past together and it will hasten breaking the curse,"

"What do you believe?" he wonders.

"Honestly," she says, "I don't know. I mean, a curse? There's no such thing and even if it were true – which it's not – she's eighteen and you're a priest. And it's very Thorn Birds, and you're probably closer to forty and not even her type since she likes bad boys,"

Now, Clare knows that she is in deep trouble.

"Clare!" Emilia says coolly.

"Sorry about The Thorn Birds reference," she apologizes, "but that not all of it,"

They look incredulously at her. "He also thinks that you're my parents," she offers and Father Jones studies her intently.

"Actually, you do have raven hair like mine and your eyes are blue, " he teases, smiling. "but honestly Clare, do you really believe that?"

Clare sighs. "I don't know," she cries, "all I know is that I've been searching for my parents since I could remember and this whole fairytale idea, it's incredible and amazing. I guess the reason why I put so much effort into this dinner was maybe, a part of me was hoping it was true. But now, I just feel ridiculous and I'm an idiot for putting you both through this; I'm sorry,"

"You cooked for once," Emilia admits, "and it wasn't bad, usually I just order from Ruby's but now I'm thinking, you should cook every other night,"

Clare smiles sheepishly and stands up, opening the bottle of red wine. "How about I open the wine and call it even?" she offers.

"After eating shepherd's pie with whiskey and vanilla ice cream with rum and now red wine?" Emilia cries. "Thanks but no thanks," She stands and Father Jones follows her, and she looks at him. "I'm sorry too Father Jones,"

"Dinner was lovely ladies," he says and heads for the door.

Clare hides the bottle and excuses herself, rushing to her room, leaving Emilia to see him out. "I am sorry Father Jones," she says, "She even picked out this dress,"

He smirks, looking her over in a way a priest doesn't usually look at a woman and Emilia's shocked to find it sends shiver down her back. "I was wondering about the dress but I didn't want to comment on it," he jokes.

Emilia blushes, smiling at him.

"But you do look," he starts, clearing his throat, "Well, I've never seen an eighteen year old woman dress like that before but you look beautiful and amazing,"

"You look different without the white collar," she admits, "and I think you were right, it never looked right on you either,"

He laughs uncomfortably

"And this just became very awkward, didn't it?" she cries, "but it was a very nice dinner,"

"Yes, it was," he agrees, suddenly finding himself staring at her.

Emilia blinks and looks away. "I do feel like I should make this up to you," she adds.

"How would you make it up to me?" he wonders, "I mean, you didn't know what she was planning; it's not really your fault,"

Emilia doesn't know why but she leans forward and kisses him. It's very impulsive, reckless and she doesn't know why she did it but when she pulls away, he continues to stare at her and she's not sure if he's repulsed or...

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she cries and starts to leave but he grabs her wrist and pulls her back. "That was incredibly inappropriate, not to mention probably very sinful. Is it a sin to kiss a priest, or even want too?"

"Emilia," he starts, trying to find the right words. "I'm devoted to God, it's my calling. I mean, I can't..it's very flattering and maybe...I mean, I'm not forty; probably closer to mid twenties..."

"You're rambling," she observes. "and it's not helping matters,"

"I think you need to stick to liking bad boys," he says finally, "though I don't think they're the type for you either,"

Emilia blushes again, smiling awkwardly at him. "This is very complicated," she realizes, "I mean, this could never go anywhere. You have your calling and I'm too young for you; and I do like bad boys but sometimes, I like the good guys too, the right guys,"

"I'm not the right guy, Emilia," he says, "for you,"

"I know," she agrees and steps away, extending her hand to him.

He takes it and brings it to his lips, kissing it and Emilia's lost in his blue eyes. "Good night Emilia," he says and he struggles to open the door, showing himself out.

Emilia closes the door after him, goes over to the table and blows out the candle, heading to her room but stops in front of Clare's and opens her door a bit. "Thank you for dinner," she says, "It was nice and – thanks for dinner again,"

Clare stares after her as she closes the door.

After a moment, she smiles incredulously and turns on her side, drifting off to sleep.

The End


End file.
